{"id":305412,"date":"2026-05-08T04:06:25","date_gmt":"2026-05-08T04:06:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/305412\/"},"modified":"2026-05-08T04:06:25","modified_gmt":"2026-05-08T04:06:25","slug":"vandalism-at-oakland-catholic-church-known-for-peace-and-justice-displays","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/305412\/","title":{"rendered":"Vandalism at Oakland Catholic church known for peace and justice displays"},"content":{"rendered":"

A North Oakland Catholic church is reeling after an act of vandalism this week.<\/p>\n

St. Columba Catholic Church<\/a>, an African American-centered parish on San Pablo Avenue, saw multiple crosses symbolizing Oakland\u2019s homicide victims ripped up and broken, a Virgin of Guadalupe statue knocked down, and a fountain honoring six Irish students who died after a balcony collapsed in Berkeley<\/a> in 2015 damaged.<\/p>\n

Aidan McAleenan, pastor at St. Columba, first saw the vandalism after Tuesday morning mass. He took out his phone and started recording the damage on Facebook Live.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe damage is more emotional and spiritual than it is physical,\u201d McAleenan told The Oaklandside in an interview today.<\/p>\n

\"\"A statue of the Virgin of Guadalupe at St. Columba Catholic Church was knocked down, according to parish leaders. Credit: Courtesy of Aidan McAleenan<\/p>\n

The church is known for its inclusiveness and progressive stances on political and social issues. A Black Lives Matter sign, a banner calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, and the poem \u201cNot in Our Name,\u201d about the war in Gaza, hang on the parish\u2019s facade. A sign on the front lawn reads, \u201cRacism is a sin.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

During Pride month, St. Columba is adorned with Pride flags. For over 25 years, the church has placed white crosses on the front lawn representing the number of homicide victims in the city each year. During mass every Sunday this year, the church reads out loud some of the names of homicide victims from the previous year to honor their memory.<\/p>\n

McAleenan said his parish may be the only Catholic church in Oakland with these types of symbols and traditions.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re always on the cutting edge of supporting, loving, and caring for people where they\u2019re at, which is a little unusual for a Catholic church,\u201d he said. \u201cWho knows if somebody had an issue with that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"A water fountain memorializing six Irish students who died in a balcony collapse in Berkeley in 2015 was also damaged at St. Columba Catholic Church. Credit: Courtesy of Aidan McAleenan<\/p>\n

The church reported the vandalism to the Oakland Police Department on Tuesday morning. McAleenan said officers arrived about nine hours later to take down a report.\u00a0<\/p>\n

OPD did not immediately answer questions from The Oaklandside about whether the vandalism is being investigated as a potential hate crime.<\/p>\n

A parishioner donated $1,000 to offset the cost of the damages.<\/p>\n

The parish plans to install security cameras, according to McAleenan. But the church doesn\u2019t plan on pressing charges or pursuing any legal recourse should the person who committed the vandalism get caught.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will pray for the person,\u201d McAleenan said, adding that the San Pablo Avenue corridor regularly sees people struggling with mental illness, homelessness, and poverty. \u201cHurting people hurt other people, so we have to treat everybody with dignity.\u201d<\/p>\n

The priest said the vandalism also comes at a time when the Oakland Diocese of the Catholic Church announced<\/a> it will be shutting down 13 churches \u2014 seven in Oakland \u2014 due to its financial crisis following decades of sexual abuse lawsuits.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is all because of evil that was done in the past on poor, innocent people,\u201d said McAleenan. \u201cThe diocese is closing these parishes, but they\u2019re all in Black and brown and poor areas. They\u2019re not in rich areas.\u201d<\/p>\n

The vandalism and the announcement of other parish closures, McAleenan said, will not stop him and congregants from worshipping and helping the community.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not going to be put down by it,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019ll continue to do our best and love the people that come through our doors.\u201d<\/p>\n

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